Dates announced for football playoffs

The Kansas State High School Activities Association approved a larger playoff field with an extra game for football earlier this year.

Now the association has pinpointed dates for the new playoff system.

The field will grow from a 16-team group to a 32-team playoff for 11-man teams in the fall. Football playoffs will include an extra game this fall. State championships for divisions 6A through 2-1A will now be played during Thanksgiving weekend.

Tonganoxie coach Mark Elston wasn't concerned with the timing of the final game.

"If you make it that far, you don't care what day it is," Elston said. "It could be on a Wednesday at midnight."

Other states, such as Missouri and Texas, complete their playoffs on Thanksgiving weekend as well.

"Everybody loves to have a turkey dinner and play on Astroturf," Elston said, referring to Missouri's playoffs, which are held in St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome.

The new format will be a five-game playoff, a change from the previous four-game slate. Two teams from each district will advance to the playoffs. Before, only district champions advanced to the playoffs.

Playoff dates for the fall season are:

Tuesday, Nov. 5 for bi-district games (4A, 3A, 2-1A).

Friday, Nov. 8 for Regional games (6A, 5A).

Saturday, Nov. 9 for regional games (4A, 3A, 2-1A).

Friday, Nov. 15 for sectional games (All 11-man classes).

Friday, Nov. 22 for sub-state games (All 11-man classes).

Saturday, Nov. 30 for state championship games (All 11-man).

Friday games requiring the visiting school to travel 151 miles or more will be played on Saturday at the request of the visiting school.

The Chieftains' season starts Sept. 6 against Wamego in Tonganoxie.

Football notes

Weightlifting to start later this month.

Summer weightlifting will begin at the end of May, Elston said. Weightlifting is offered before school until the end of the school year.

Camp, lift-a-thon dates set

Tonganoxie's football lift-a-thon will be July 28. The day will also include seven-on-seven play. The Chieftains will also run their football camp for high school players July 22-27.